Car coupler



p 1936- K. SCHARFENBERG 2,054,005

CAR COUPLER Filed June 13, 1934 INVENTOR KARL SCHARF'ENBERG BY HISATTORNEYS "WWW Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication June 13, 1934, Serial No. 730,522 In Germany October 24,1932 2 Claims.

The invention relates to a draw-bar and bufling device, in whichspring-controlled draw-bars and buffer-rods act on the vehicles, whilethe springs for the said draw-bars and buffer-rods are connecteddirectly to the vehicle by means of frictional elements. This kind ofconnection will always be present, even if the spring plates in thedraw-bar and bufling device are lifted from'their abutments by buffingforces.

With the selected. construction of the draw-bar and buffing device thedraw-bars and buffer-rods passing through the frame of the vehicle, willbe extended to the same degree under draft stresses and will be reducedin length under the action of bufling forces to the same extent. Inorder to avoid undesired strain, particularly when the brakes areapplied to the vehicle or train, it is desirable, however, that theextension of the draw-bar and buffer-rod, passing through the vehicle,be smaller under the action of tractive forces than the reductionthereof under the action of bufling forces.

This will be attained according to the invention by arranging aplurality of springs successively in series so that only a portion ofthe springs will act with a small stroke during traction, while allsprings become effective with full stroke in the spring-device under theaction of bufling forces.

In the drawing a form of construction of a draw-bar and buffing deviceof the kind referred to is shown by way of example in longitudinalsection.

The extremities of the draw-bars and bufferrods a and b, which areconnected with coupler heads like so, are accommodated within a casing 0comprising two parts, connected to one another by means of a sleeve dwhich projects through openings in the plates 1/ attached to the sills 2as shown in my Patent No. 1,998,388, issued April 16, 1935. Within saidcasing there are provided four columns of springs, e, e and j of whichthe columns e, e are connected to the draw-bar and buffer-rod a and thecolumns I, j to the draw-bar and buffer-rod b. The connection isefiected by means of spring plates g and h. The springs e and e areseparated from each other through spring plate 11 and the springs f andj through spring plate q. The spring plate p will engage a collar 1' ofthe draw-bar and buffer-rod a and the spring plate q a collar .9provided on the draw-bar and buffer-rod b.

When tractive forces become active, only the springs e and 1 will becomeeffective, in that the spring plates p and q are carried along by thecollars r and s respectively. The springs e and f arranged between thespring plates p and q on the one hand and the spring plates is on theother hand, are simply displaced without being compressed. Under theaction of bufiing forces, however, all four spring columns 6, e', f andf are compressed by means of the spring plates g and h.

In the former instance the extension of the draw-bars and buffer-rodswill correspond to the play of the springs e, f, only, in the latterinstance, however, it will correspond to the play of all springs. It mayalso be suggested to arrange a helical spring in lieu of the frictionalelements 11. The inner spring plates is will force, when pressure isexerted upon the draw bars a and b, the frictional elements n againstthe inner cylindrical surface m of the casing c and thereby hold the carfast relatively to the draw bars a and b.

I claim:

1. Draw bar and buffing devices for vehicles comprising a stationarycasing, draw bars projecting into said casing at the ends thereof, apair of springs on each draw bar within said casing, spring plates onsaid draw bars movably mounted on said draw bars within said casing ateach end of and intermediate the springs on each draw bar, saidintermediate spring plates engaging both springs, means fixed on eachdraw bar engaging the intermediate spring plate thereon to compress onespring on each draw bar under draft stresses, means on said draw barsoperating said spring plates at the outer ends of said springs tocompress both springs on each draw bar under buffing stresses andfrictional means engaged by said spring plates at the inner ends of saidsprings and operated by said springs to connect said springs and casingwhen said springs are compressed under buiiing stresses.

2. Draw bar and buffing devices for railway vehicles consisting of ahousing, draw and buffer rods which are cushioned against each other andagainst the vehicle within the housing, spring plates slidably mountedon said rods and positioned to bear against the ends of said housing,spring plates slidably mounted on the inner ends of said rods, springsmounted in tandem arrangement between the spring plates on each rod, aspring plate slidably mounted on each rod between the springs on saidrod, means fixed on said rods preventing relative movement of saidlastmentioned spring plates and said rods when said rods are moved indraft and friction means engaged by said spring plates at the inner endsof said rods for connecting said rods and housing under bufling.

KARL SCHARFENBERG.

